


Stiles Stilinski Is An Enigma

by Alex_42



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Additional Tags to Be Added, BAMF Stiles, Banshee Lydia Martin, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Smut, Human Danny Mahealani, Human Jackson Whittemore, Implied Sexual Content, Magical Stiles Stilinski, Minor Character Death, Minor Character(s), Multi, Stiles Stilinski Is Bad at Feelings, Team Human, Wiccan Stiles Stilinski, Young Derek Hale, slow burn sterek
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:54:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25387117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alex_42/pseuds/Alex_42
Summary: Derek and Stiles are probably mates... probably.The fire at the Hale house never happened.Claudia Stilinski didn’t die; she is the Wiccan emissary of the Hale Pack.Noah Stilinski did die... protecting Derek and Cora when they were young.Stiles blamed the pack for his dad’s death. He also swore vengeance to the hunter family who killed his father.——or... Stiles returns to Beacon Hills for the first time in several years at the call and request of his mother, Talia Hale’s emissary. Stiles, and the company he keeps, (but mostly Stiles; age 21) makes quite an impression on a 19 year old Derek Hale and his friends.
Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Comments: 74
Kudos: 225





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> *I do not own any characters, concepts, or ideas from Teen Wolf (TV)

Claudia Stilinski didn’t die; she does not have Frontotemporal Dementia. She is the Wiccan emissary of the Hale Pack. She owns a flower shop in the city.

The fire at the Hale house never happened; Derek is a proud homosexual, so Kate never tried to seduce him. Which means Paige never happened either.

Derek and Scott are the same age. They have been best friends for a very long time.

Scott, a pansexual, had started dating Isaac when they were all in their freshman year of high school.

Isaac was best friends with Erica.

Erica had started dating Boyd freshman year as well.

Derek’s little ‘pack’ were all human at the time... that was until the end of sophomore year.

About two years ago, when they were all about 16/17 years old, a feral Alpha werewolf had come through town. Talia and Peter were away on ‘business,’ so nobody was quick enough to eliminate the possible danger.

Laura and Claudia were able to subdue and capture the rouge Alpha once they realized he was in the territory, but that wasn’t until after the werewolf had picked up on Derek’s scent.

Derek was spending time with his human friends at the park. Alone, he didn’t have the strength to take on an alpha.

Derek protected his friends with his life, but he was powerless to stop the alpha’s attack. Scott, Isaac, Erica, and Boyd were all a bloody mess when Laura and Claudia had finally arrived. If it wasn’t for Claudia’s ‘healing magic,’ Isaac and Erica would have died that day at the park.

The cuts and bite marks were deep. Deep enough to turn. By the next full moon, all four of them were fully fledged werewolves. Claudia says that is was destiny, that the only reason they all survived the transformation was because they were destined to be together... but Derek knows that her ‘magic’ had a part to play in their survival.

Ever since then, the five of them had dropped all of their extracurricular activities at school, and have been training with Peter instead. Talia was a saint to take all four of the new weres into her pack, and she had felt so bad about what happened, that she agreed to allow them all to drop out of sports and things in order to learn to defend themselves.

Derek left basketball, Scott and Isaac dropped Lacrosse, Boyd stopped playing football, and Erica removed herself from the debate team. Instead, the five of them would all get into Boyd’s truck after school (Boyd is a crazy good mechanic, he and his father built that damn truck out of scraps from the junkyard and it ran like a beauty) and head to the Hale house to immediately train with Peter.

Laura would join sometimes, and Cora liked to watch on the sidelines when she didn’t have anything better to do.

Nowadays, Cora joins them in their training.

Cora and Laura are sisters who won’t let go of the other, and the teens are always together; they never leave one single person alone anymore.

...

We are starting our story the summer after the teenagers’ high school graduation (with the exception of Cora). They are all about 18/19 years old. We will begin by looking through Derek’s perspective.

The teens chose to stay together after high school. Instead of going off independently, the five of them enrolled in community college to start with an Associate’s degree. When they’re older, they will pursue their future further.

Recently, there has been a new threat to the territory. Talia Hale has asked everybody to gather at the house for a Pack meeting.

Whatever this new threat is, they’ve called in an ‘expert’ for help: Claudia’s son, Stiles Stilinski.

Stiles is 21 years old. He never associated with the pack much, so they don’t know much about him.

When he was a small boy, 5 or 6, he was placed in ‘special education’ for a severe case of ADHD, separating his life from the children of the pack. Claudia never wanted to magic her son’s ‘disability’ away. She says that he had to learn how to live with it; she isn’t going to live forever. What would happen if she magicked it away and then something happened to her... it would come right back.

He had his own life, with his own friends. Stiles’ dad was one of the deputies of Beacon Hills. Deputy Stilinski loved his wife, and the pack she is associated with, but as a law enforcement officer, he didn’t see them much. He supported his wife’s pack and his family legally instead of technically. Stiles was a daddy’s boy. Every second he didn’t have in class, Stiles would ask to shadow his dad at work. Noah even taught Stiles how to shoot when he was young.

When Stiles was 13 years old, his dad died in the line of combat. He was answering a call he received about shots being heard in the preserve. When he arrived, Cora and Derek were running away from hunters. Noah was shot and killed while protecting the two.

Stiles blamed the pack for his dad’s death. He also swore vengeance to the hunter family who killed his father.

When Stiles was 14 years old, he asked Claudia if he could enroll in a Military Academy instead of Beacon Hills High. He wanted to carry on his father’s legacy.

Claudia said yes, reluctantly.

Stiles finished Academy about three years ago, but never enrolled in the Military. Instead, he used everything he learned and threw himself into the supernatural community.

He was known as a mercenary at first. He would go all over the place, taking out supernatural threats and establishing peace for money or gifts. He used a combination of Wiccan magic he learned from his mother, and the technical training he received from the academy, to make a name for himself. People started to call him Mischief, for obvious reasons. Stiles didn’t mind; it was a nickname that his parents had been using for a long time.

Secretly however, during his adventures, he was acquiring information about the family that killed his father, the Argents.

Stiles is back in Beacon Hills at the beckoning of his mother.

Derek doesn’t remember much about his emissary’s son. They weren’t very close in their childhood, but over time, Stiles Stilinski has become an enigma. He is mysterious and powerful; he also keeps the company of even more mysterious and powerful peers.

‘Mischief’ is a name that is hushed around a lot of the supernatural community. The boy who doesn’t fight for the hunters, or the supernaturals. When he strolls into town, nobody ever knows what side he’ll end up supporting; all they know is that when he comes around, people die.

The second chapter of this work is the first chapter into our story, when Derek and Stiles see each other for the first time in years. It’s the day that life changes for the worse... or the better... depending on which one you ask.


	2. I've Been Waiting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stiles Stilinski in this particular work is inspired by Dylan O’Brian’s character Mitch Rapp from American Assassin. Older, and a bit rough around the edges.

**Stiles Stilinski**

Derek watches Claudia Stilinski curiously. She sits patiently next to Talia in the living room of the Hale house. To the naked eye, the Wiccan woman is poise and collected, elegant even, but the wolfs who have all gathered within the Hale House can smell her anxiety. Her son, who she rarely sees anymore, will be arriving within a few hours.

Derek doesn’t remember much about Stiles Stilinski, only that he is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Stilinski. Stiles is a few years older than Derek, and they attended different schools. Stiles went to private school for some reason when he was young, and when he was supposed to go to High School with Laura, he left town and joined a Military Academy instead.

Derek always felt for the stranger. After all, Derek was the one Mr. Stilinski spoke his final words to… _“Tell Claudia I’m sorry, and tell my little Mischief that I love him.”_

Derek tries not to think about that moment; he never got the chance to tell Stiles his father’s final words personally, Claudia was the one to deliver the message. After that night, not a single member of the Hale family ever saw Stiles again. He avoided them like the plague.

That was 8 years ago.

That is why Stiles agreeing to meet with the Pack is such a big deal. Nobody truly knows how Stiles feels about them. Claudia keeps saying that ‘there is no need to worry.’ Nobody has the heart to call her out on the double uptick in her heart when she says those words… she’s trying to convince herself, remain hopeful.

Derek feels for his emissary as well. After all, Derek has spent many hours crying into her arms… _“It’s okay Derek; it’s okay.”_

It is no secret to the Hale Pack that Claudia and her son have a strained relationship. Derek sometimes feels like she has a better relationship with his family than she does with her own. Derek once overheard a phone call between the two; Stiles had told her that he wasn’t happy that she continued to be the emissary for the Pack that got her husband killed; she deserved better. Derek hadn’t listened to the rest of that conversation…

A few years ago, Derek sneakily tried to contact Stiles. He wanted to explain how much his mother meant to the Pack, and how much the Pack meant to Claudia. She is more than an advisor; she is a friend. She is family. As Derek got older, he wanted to be there for the wife of the man who he watched die. Call it guilt, protective instincts, or simply the willingness to do well for somebody you love. It doesn’t matter what you call it; they’re all kind of true. Derek wanted to help her the way she has continued to help him.

Derek had decided that the best thing he could do was help her mend the broken relationship she has with her only child.

That plan failed miserably.

The only way to contact him is by his personal cellphone, which Stiles made Claudia swear by oath to never disclose to anybody… especially, a member of the Hale Pack… including Claudia’s Alpha…

Stiles doesn’t have any social media, like, none at all. Looking for information on Stiles ‘Mischief’ Stilinski is like writing a paper on the Bermuda Triangle: you can write about it all you want, but nobody in the world actually knows anything.

Overhearing Claudia’s conversation was the last Derek had even heard Stiles’ voice. Honestly, Derek can’t remember the last time he even saw the man’s face. All he remembers is fair skin and Bambi eyes that just couldn’t keep still for some reason.

So, as anybody could imagine, Derek was astonished when Talia had announced that Stiles was going to come to Beacon Hills to investigate a recent string of murders happening in the neighboring territory. Pack members of the Talbot Pack were being hunted and killed off one by one. When the Numbers started increasing, it was the clear that a hunter clan is responsible.

Sebastian, Derek’s father, and Peter have been traveling back and forth between the territories, in secret, attempting to help the Talbots in any way they could. Sebastian and Peter are both skilled werewolves, and talented informants; so when they returned from the Talbot territory one day, claiming that they were unable to identify the clan’s family name, or their origin, Talia knew that they would need help.

Hence, Stiles Stilinski.

Derek thinks that the only reason why Stiles agreed to come back home, was the likelihood that this clan could be the Argents. If a hunter clan is trying to remain secret, instead of boasting their ‘kill count,’ then there must be a good reason for it; the only hunter clan that would try to keep their name hush-hush (so close to Beacon Hills) is a clan with something to hide.

After the Argents killed Deputy Stilinski, all those years ago, they hightailed it out of town. Obviously, they didn’t want to stay around and be tried for the murder of a government officer. Their name dropped off the map for a while after that.

Now, if they are close by, Derek thinks Claudia and her son would be heavily unnerved…

——

When the few waiting hours pass, the entire Hale Pack head out of the house and make their way to the back yard. That is apparently one of Stiles’ conditions for coming today. He refused to step foot inside the Hale house. Originally, he didn’t even want to step foot on the property at all, but Claudia was able to convince him that the Hale estate was safe. Their compromise was the back yard.

Claudia is keeping herself busy with the food and refreshments laid out on the patio table. Her beautiful fair skin glows in the light of the coming sunset while her brunette hair flows effortlessly in the cool summer breeze. Talia, the ever-thoughtful Alpha, decided that it would be best to welcome Stiles in a casual setting. She wants to eliminate any type of ‘political’ tension between Stiles and the Hales. The immediate threat will need to wait while Talia establishes peace.

Derek, Scott, Isaac, Erica, and Boyd are all trying to keep themselves busy. They are trying to stay quiet, out of respect for Claudia; so, they are all on their phones. Peter and Sebastian are entertaining the rest of the pack. Peter’s daughter, Malia, is getting antsy. Nobody is allowed to touch the food until the guest arrives.

Derek looks over the yard, Laura and Cora are mingling with their remaining grandparents, aunts/uncles, and cousins. There are probably about 20-25 members of the entire Pack, and most of them are all here today. Derek looks at his watch, a graduation gift he received from his father, and he notices that Stiles is half an hour late. He looks over to his mother, who has been quiet for a while now. She has been glancing back and forth at the tree line of the preserve for a long time.

Out of respect, nobody has spoken up about their late guest. If Talia wants to cancel the welcoming, she will do it when she pleases. Peter, however, finally makes his way up to where Talia and Claudia are chatting on the patio. “Claudia, with all due respect, are you sure your son is coming tonight?”

Claudia sighs as everybody in the yard goes a little silent. “He’s been here for several hours now…” Everybody in the yard perks up as Claudia speaks. Derek listens to Claudia’s heart carefully. “I felt him arrive before we came outside; he’s been watching us, making sure it’s safe to approach.” Claudia isn’t lying. Derek looks to his mother, who is content and unsurprised. Claudia continues, “he’ll come out when he’s ready.” She has a solemn look on her face.

Peter looks to his sister, “Talia…”

Just then, Talia and Claudia both look to the tree line of the preserve as if something has caught their attention. A young man stands soundlessly across the yard. Derek strains to hear him; the man isn’t making any noise at all. There is no heartbeat… there isn’t even the sound of lungs expanding and expelling with air…

How is this possible? Did Talia know he was there all this time, and simply chose to wait? Derek looks over to his close friends. Scott, Isaac, Erica, and Boyd all have the same look on their face, ‘ _what the fuck?’_

A moment passes and Derek sees three more bodies come into view within the tree line: an attractive red-headed woman with a ponytail, a handsome man with blonde hair and blue eyes, and a stunning tanned guy with dark hair and broad shoulders. The four strangers begin a slow decent towards the Pack.

The first stranger leads the charge. Derek watches him as he takes slow, calculated movements forward. He is beautiful, something beyond the others. He is the tallest of the four, maybe an inch or two taller than Derek. He has long limbs and slender features: high cheekbones, sharp eyebrows, and a beautifully feminine cut jawline. His hair is medium length, styled messily, and striking; it’s a slightly darker shade than Claudia’s hair, but the same color. He’s wearing tight black jeans that hug his toned thighs brilliantly and a well-fitted white t-shirt that shows off an absurd amount of slim muscle over his chest and abs. He’s also wearing a very thin, modern looking, black leather jacket that looks like it belongs on some sort of male model, at some sort of European fashion show. Both his t-shirt, and his jacket, have a low, wide-cut, neckline that allow for the presentation of freckles and beauty marks that spread across the entirety of his fair, milky smooth skin.

Instantly, Derek notices a white gold amulet hanging from the man’s neck. It’s a Wiccan Trinity Knot, hanging from a very thin, braided, black leather string. Derek’s wolf pluses to instinct at the sight of it. There is something special about that amulet… but Derek has no idea why he thinks so.

Derek is star struck; his wolf begins to purr and prod within him. This is the young boy with fair skin and Bambi eyes… this, is Stiles Stilinski.

The two other men follow behind him on his left and right. Their eyes are scouting their respective sides of the environment, never staying in one place for too long. The female is walking a fair distance behind all three of them, directly behind the leader. Her eyes are moving a mile a fucking minute. Her perceptive gaze terrifies Derek. She’s moving her head very slowly, acting casual, but Derek can tell that with each turn, she glances backwards and tilts her ears upward. She’s watching their flank…

There is nothing casual about their presence. Derek can’t hear any of them. He can’t even smell them. Derek then realizes that this is Claudia’s son; he is Wiccan...

They move as one unit, one person. They are all dressed similarly, skin-tight clothes and light-weight jackets. When they get closer, Derek notices the weapons. The tanned guy has a standard 9mm Glock 19 holstered to his side and a sturdy black case above it being held by an over-the-shoulder fastening; Derek wonders what could possibly be within it. He’s wearing a sturdier looking leather jacket, protective. The handsome man is wearing a utility belt (he is also wearing a sleeveless t-shirt and a sleeveless, black denim vest; the man has arms, and isn’t afraid to show them). His belt is loaded with a bunch of shit, mostly pouches and packs that Derek can’t see inside. What he can see, however, are two sets of metal knuckles that are clipped to the most accessible hooks next to the man’s hands, one brass, one silver. Derek now notices that the man is wearing combat gloves that he doesn’t see on anybody else. The female is the only one not dressed in all black. She’s wearing blue jeans and a red leather jacket that looks like it has layers of fabric within it. Her only weapon is a King Cobra Target revolver (God damn…) that is holstered to her right hip. She probably has a plethora of ammo strapped to the insides of her jacket.

The leader, Stiles, has two combat knives strapped above his thighs, one on each side. He also has a Wakizashi strategically placed behind him, horizontally, tied to his belt loops above his supple glutes. The hilt of the Japanese knife is peering outward towards the right-hand side. As he moves, Derek can see glimpses of even more slices of metal strapped to the inside of his open jacket. He’s clearly not trying to hide any of his weaponry.

They don’t carry themselves like hunters, their weapons are different, but they do carry themselves as lethal… The entire Hale Pack tense up as they make their way across the yard.

As the group comes to stop a safe distance in front of the pack, Talia meets them on the grass. Stiles is the only one to look at her directly. Derek looks as far into the man’s honey-amber eyes as possible. They tell a story that Derek doesn’t think he’s ready to understand. The man’s body is cautions, controlled, specific, but his eyes burn with an underlying emotion that Derek didn’t think was even possible.

When he finally speaks, his voice sounds like overcooked butter, low and smooth, yet unforgiving. “Alpha Hale,” is all he says.

With the tension and danger that the four have brought with their presence, Talia flashes her eyes in response to Stiles’ greeting. It’s a silent form of communication, a courtesy. She is telling the man that he is on Hale land and must pay traditional respects. He needs to either bow, or show his neck in submission.

Instead… the man flashes his own eyes at Derek’s mother…

A aurora of Wiccan green swims through Stiles’ eyes as his facial features remain stoic (It’s the same flash that Claudia possesses). He will not submit.

Everybody in the yard tenses even further. They all stand at the ready, unsure of what will happen next. Nobody has ever shown the great Talia Hale such disrespect. What was meant to be a kind-hearted welcoming has become an anxious exchange of silent communication.

Time stands still for a moment. Graciously, Claudia rests a hand on Talia’s shoulder. It’s a plea. Talia closes her eyes softly as she releases a sigh. When she opens them again, she looks at the young man with pity. He clearly does not share his mother’s respect and love for the Hale Pack; he, along with his company, look like they are meeting on a battlefield rather than a social reunion.

When Talia speaks, it is clear that she wishes to remain peaceful and heartening in the face of adversity. “Mr. Stilinski, thank you for answering our call. I am pleased to see you again after all this time.” Distrust lays easy in Stiles’ eyes as she speaks. “It has been quite some time since I have seen you. Your mother has told me many great things of your adventures and accomplishments. I believe that your father would be proud of the man you’ve become.”

At the mention of Noah, Stiles’ eyes burn with an anger that cannot be ignored. His voice is professional and devoid of emotion, “Alpha Hale, with all due respect, I did not come all this way to hear you speak about my father.”

Talia’s words clearly did not have the desired effect. Several sharp gasps of air can be heard throughout the pack as Stiles continues to disrespect the hospitable Talia Hale.

“I came here today solely to deliver a message,” Stiles continues. Talia watches the young man expectantly, hoping that this encounter does not become confrontational. Claudia stares at her son worriedly.

Stiles takes a quick breath through the nose before he takes on a very professional demeanor, only slightly less hostile than he has been. “Although I have agreed to return to Beacon Hills in order to investigate the current situation, that does not mean that my company and I are going to align ourselves with you or your Pack during this time.” Most of the Pack have come to accept the fact that this is certainly not a friendly encounter, some of them have instinctually moved closer to their alpha in preparation for the possible hostility to come.

“Out of respect for my mother, who currently rests her loyalties in your grace, I have decided that you may acknowledge our presence as a neutral party,” Stiles continues. Nobody misses the way his voice places an ever so slight emphasis on the word ‘currently.’ “Our objective here in Beacon Hills is to protect my mother from danger, and discover the identity and motive of the hunters who threaten the boarders of Beacon Hills.”

Stiles glances at his mother softly before turning back to Talia. “I would prefer to have my mother stay under our protection during this time; however, she is a grown woman, and I will not force her to do anything she is not ready for.” Again, nobody misses the way his voice places an ever so slight emphasis on the words ‘not ready for.’

“Know this,” Stiles says with determination, “at the first sight of harm that befalls my mother’s life, our neutrality with the Hale Pack will end.” Stiles’ threat courses through Derek like a bolt of electricity searching for a purpose. He speaks with the gravity of an Alpha. Derek doesn’t know how to feel; he is numb.

Talia hasn’t spoken yet.

“This is Jackson,” Stiles says, waving a hand to the handsome man to his right, “we call him Mr. Sticky. If you are ever unfortunate enough to learn why, consider yourself either lucky, or dead. Your only warning is this: he likes to make a mess.” Jackson flat out winks at Talia… HE FUCKING WINKS AT THE ALPHA!

Stiles then raises an arm towards the tanned guy on his left. “This is Danny; we call him The Keeper. He’s good with computers, real good. If it has an electronic signature, Danny can find it. He keeps us up to date.”

Danny’s composure is much warmer, the warmest out of the four. He waves his hand graciously as he speaks, “it’s an honor to meet you Alpha Hale.” Talia simply nods in respect.

“Don’t mistake his kindness for weakness,” Stiles continues, “he’s the best shot out of all of us. I once saw him snipe a target 2,000 meters away… in a thunderstorm.” So that’s what is inside the man’s case, a fucking rifle.

“The most dangerous of us four,” Stiles continues, “is Lydia Martin.” The red-headed woman behind Stiles sticks her chin up in pride: she’s the most dangerous? She’s literally the smallest out of the four. “We learned not to call her anything other than Lydia, out of fear. If anybody dies within a 150-mile radius of her, she probably knows about it… regardless of whether or not she’s the cause.”

The Pack look at the four in awe. Nobody can hear Stiles’ heart, so they don’t know if he’s lying… but the energy coming from the company gives off the impression that it’s all true.

“We will be keeping an eye over my mother from a distance,” Stiles finally says. “If anything happens to her… we’ll know.”

Talia takes a deep breath before speaking, collecting herself. “Mr. Stilinski, on behalf of the Hale Pack, I would like to thank you for your honesty and transparency. During my own mother’s lifetime, I was just as cautious about her safety as you are with your mother,” Talia responds heartily. “I can assure you that Claudia is in safe hands. Your mother has been a staple of kindness and love within our Pack for many years now. You have my word that she is protected as though she was a member of our family and legacy. It is comforting to know that you and your company are just as thoroughly invested in her safety as we are.”

Although Stiles’ face remains indifferent, his honey-amber eyes burn with denial and resentment.

“I understand that you would like to keep a professional boundary between us, yet I hope that one day we will be able to coexist with one another peacefully,” Talia says with warmth behind her eyes. “I would like to ask one question however,” Stiles looks at her tolerantly, “as neutral acquaintances, is there any way we may be able to contact you, or meet with you, if we would like to share any developments that may benefit your investigation?”

Stiles knows what Talia is trying to do: she wants to open a form of direct communication. She wants to place a foot in the door to Stiles’ life. It is the first step towards reestablishing a connection, a bond.

Stiles eyes Talia critically. “My mother has a means of communicating with me. As your emissary, you can rely on her to deliver any developments.”

Talia releases a disappointed breath as she speaks, “of course.” Now would not be a good time to push Stiles into something he does not want.

Stiles provides Talia with the slightest of nods before he speaks, “we appreciate your hospitality for this meeting, but we will be taking our leave now.” After Stiles provides Talia with his kindest gesture so far, he turns to his mother to speak a silent goodbye. He then makes his way to leave. The rest of his company turn with him to return to the preserve. The are now following Lydia off the yard.

As the rest of the Pack release a breath that nobody knew they were holding, Derek’s wolf starts to rumble and howl within him. It’s urging him to speak up, say something, anything. As Stiles makes his way further and further to the tree line, Derek starts to sweat, fighting his wolf for control. _What the fuck is happening?_

“Sti- Stiles…” Derek shouts before he even realizes he’s standing, reaching out for the man who is almost out of sight. Talia, along with every single person in the yard, stares at Derek, dumbfounded. _What the fuck is Derek doing!?_ Lydia, Jackson, and Danny all turn around to watch the young wolf speak. Danny and Lydia look anxious while Jackson is grinning madly; he’s hoping that the boy says something stupid… Jackson likes messy…

Stiles, however, hasn’t turned around. He isn’t walking away, just standing there, looking at the trees.

“Umm,” Derek says intelligently. He swallows hard before he opens his mouth to speak, doing something that his wolf is practically forcing out of him, “your dad wanted me to tell you that he loves you…”

Lydia, Danny, and Jackson all look at Derek in revulsion. Even Jackson has dropped his grin in bafflement… Lydia seemingly stares right at Stiles’ face, waiting to see what he’ll do.

Derek sees Stiles’ right hand twitch. He still hasn’t turned around.

Talia looks at her son with bulging eyes wide open.

“I know Claudia already told you…” Derek continues, “but I wanted you to hear it from me.” A large blush makes its way to Derek’s face. “I’ve been waiting to tell you that for a long time now… and… I don’t know if I’ll ever see you again…”

Talia and Claudia both cover their mouths in astonishment as the rest of the pack gasp sharply. They turn to look at Stiles in unison, wondering what he’ll do after hearing Derek’s words.

An eternity seems to pass by while everybody waits on bated breath. Suddenly, the scent of fresh saltwater hits Derek’s nose and his wolf begins to whine within him. _Is Stiles crying? How can Derek smell his tears, but nothing else?_ Derek still can’t see his face.

Lydia is still staring at Stiles. Water begins to bubble behind her eyes at whatever she sees.

Finally, Stiles continues forward, into the tree line, silently. Jackson and Danny both follow quickly behind. Lydia, who is still facing the Pack, turns to look at Derek. Her facial expression is indistinguishable. Derek doesn’t know what she’s trying to express as an exceedingly small smile curls around the corners of her lips (sympathy, maybe). She turns around quickly before giving anything else away and jogs after her company.

Just like that, Stiles is gone again, maybe forever… Derek doesn’t know what to think, or how to feel. The only thing he knows is this: Stiles Stilinski is an enigma.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #TeamHuman BITCHES!!!!!
> 
> For those of you who may have caught on, Lydia in this work is heavily inspired by Claire Redfield from Resident Evil 2.
> 
> P.S. By all means, you are all welcome to point out spelling/grammatical mistakes on ANY of my works. Any help to fix my errors are greatly appreciated!
> 
> Example: Hey Alex, just to let you know, in Paragraph XX, Sentence XX, you said "well" instead of "we'll" (we will).


	3. Please Don't Leave

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In season 3 and 4 of the Teen Wolf TV show, a younger version of Derek Hale was played by Ian Nelson. Ian is the inspiration for my version of Derek Hale in this work.

**Derek Hale**

Stiles enters the driver’s seat of his beloved black Jeep Wrangler. It’s Stiles’ vehicle of choice. A few years ago, Stiles had ‘claimed’ it from a group of vampires hiding away in the Aspen Mountains of Colorado. There were only three of them and they were easy to eliminate. The jeep was entirely blacked out, even the windows (no amount of sunlight was allowed inside). The jeep was a blessing, a gift from Mother Goddess.

Stiles’ company would say that the Wrangler is the only thing that Stiles has ever loved… that would be of course, until now. During their initial assessment of the area, Danny, Jackson, and Lydia all noted a robust looking 1980 Robin's Egg blue CJ5 Jeep that had Stiles’ Wiccan symbol stickered to the rear window. It was parked easily in the driveway, looking like it absolutely belonged there. The company naturally assumes that the owner of said blue Jeep is the only other thing Stiles has ever loved. It makes sense now why Stiles takes better care of the Wrangler than he does himself.

Danny calmly places his own pride and joy in the back of the Wrangler (the black case he carries that houses an illegally acquired McMillan TAC-50). All the co-workers (I guess that’s the best word for them) enter the Wrangler quickly after Stiles. Danny and Jackson take their seats in the back while Lydia slides into her permanent seat as the front passenger.

The jeep is tense as they all remain there for a time; Stiles has yet to start the engine.

“It’s him, isn’t it,” Lydia says softly, unable to refrain herself anymore. Stiles grips the steering wheel tightly and stares out to the preserve. “He’s the reason you never wanted to come back. He’s the reason you could never trust anybody, even us… isn’t he?”

Danny and Jackson both stare curiously at Stiles while whatever emotion filling the air resides. Stiles breathes silently while he starts the jeep and finally pulls out of the preserve.

“He’s cute,” Danny finally says to end the silence. God bless Danny, his innocence is the only salvation Stiles has against Lydia’s incessant questions and Jackson’s fucking attitude.

Jackson shrugs, “cute for a pack bitch maybe.”

Stiles SLAMS on the brakes, forcing Jackson to propel forward (Danny and Lydia are both smart enough to wear a seat belt… even when there is no danger around). If it isn’t for Jackson’s quick reflexes, he'd die; he has just enough time to catch himself on the Jeep’s interior frame and center console before one of Stiles combat knives smooths its way into his throat.

Jackson holds himself frozen as he looks down at the knife. Stiles has turned around in his seat and placed his weapon strategically where Jackson's carotid artery would have gone if Jackson continued forward. The blade is so fucking close; it’s touching skin, but not penetrating.

“Call him a bitch again and it will be the last time you speak,” Stiles threatens seriously. His entire face is rock hard and his eyes are shining their Wiccan savagery.

 _‘Shit,’_ Jackson thinks to himself before he responds seriously, “I’m sorry sir. It won’t happen again.”

Just as quickly as Stiles drew his blade, he re-sheaths it and continues driving down the dirt road. Nobody speaks for the rest of the drive. Not even Lydia.

——

On the outskirts of downtown Beacon Hills, there is an industrial district that is home to several abandoned warehouses. A few years ago, when Stiles became a mercenary, he invested his earnings in one of the facilities there by purchasing the deed. Over the course of a few months, he paid for the building to be renovated into a proper apartment complex. On the top floor, there is now a spacious loft that has every amenity needed for modern living, as well as a complete security network.

Although Stiles has never rented the space out, he has paid private contractors to maintain the building all this time… just in case he would ever need it…

This is where the company has settled into during their last few days. As the Wrangler pulls up to the open parking lot, Lydia’s red Harley-Davidson is right where she left it. Jackson’s Porsche is currently in the basement parking garage (he hardly even uses it).

The company uses an industrial lift to get to the loft on the top floor; it’s a noisy contraption that Stiles never wanted to get rid of because it can carry a lot more weight than an average elevator. When the large front door slides open, the company disperse to their own areas. Lydia and Jackson have taken the master bedroom on the main floor and Danny has taken the spare room beside it. Stiles, on the other hand, has taken the attic above them all.

As soon as Stiles finishes climbing the spiral staircase that leads to his room up top, Danny’s Electronic Dance Music has already hit the cement walls of the loft and begins bouncing back and forth. As the rhythm ricochets, Stiles also notices the sounds of Jackson’s punching bag taking a brutal beating.

The hyper intensive sounds are actually quite soothing.

Stiles makes his way to the upstairs bathroom to take a scorching hot shower. The only article of clothing he doesn’t remove, is his amulet. He has never removed his amulet, not once. It is the only thing that has kept him from going absolutely insane after all this time.

As Stiles turns the shower on and waits for the hot water to run through the pipes, he uses his primary phone to send a quick text to one of his ‘associates.’

 **Mischief** : Do something special for her tonight. She’s had a disappointing day.

 **H** : Yes sir, understood.

When the reply comes in, Stiles takes a deep breath before walking into the shower

——

When Stiles is finally ready to lay down and stare at the ceiling (let’s face it, Stiles won’t be getting much sleep during his time in Beacon Hills), he reaches for the little black box in the drawer of his bedside table. From the box, he retrieves an incredibly old, yet indestructible, Nokia cellphone (his back-up phone that used to be his primary) and the charger plug for it.

After waiting a few minutes for the phone to power on, he flips through the text messages until he finds the one he is looking for.

 **Derek** : I heard you're leaving town for Military School. Stiles, please don’t leave.

…

Stiles takes more, deep, calming breaths as he thinks over the life he had before his father died. He clutches his amulet so tight that his hands start to turn white. Hopefully, Derek never remembers the rest of Noah Stilinski’s last words.

...

Fuck Lydia, and her ability to pick up on every fucking thing Stiles tries to hide from the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Derek's loft is actually Stiles' loft in this story!
> 
> P.S. By all means, you are all welcome to point out spelling/grammatical mistakes on ANY of my works. Any help to fix my errors are greatly appreciated!
> 
> Example: Hey Alex, just to let you know, in Paragraph XX, Sentence XX, you said "well" instead of "we'll" (we will).


	4. It's Yours Now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter contains graphic content that may be triggering for some audiences.

**Lydia Martin**

**Roughly 2 Years & 6 Months Ago: The Moment Lydia Martin met Stiles Stilinski**

Lydia runs as quickly as she can. The sounds of claws scraping against the wooden floors and painted walls have stopped. As she turns the corner into the kitchen of her parents New York home, she comes face to face with the very woman who just murdered both her parents.

Kali quickly reaches her hand behind Lydia’s head to grab a fist full of luscious red hair. “NOO!!!” Lydia screams. As Kali begins to pull Lydia by her hair into the living room, Lydia stares at the wide-open door to the basement, her salvation.

Lydia cries horrifically as she watches the door disappear from sight. Quickly, she is thrown across the living room floor and lands harshly against the empty fireplace. Her body aches from the impact and her head is spinning rapidly. There is blood running down her face, but she has no idea where it’s coming from.

A load roar erupts from somewhere nearby, but Lydia is too disoriented to focus on her surroundings. “I told you she was not to be harmed!” a strong English voice shouts out of nowhere. There is a loud impact heard followed by a pathetic whine.

Lydia hears footsteps approach her and her body naturally tenses. A blind gentlemen crouches down in front of Lydia and grabs her chin softly. Lydia’s sight begins to regain focus as the man lightly pulls her head towards his direction.

When she looks up, the first thing she sees is Deucalion’s face. His eyes are hidden behind black sunglasses, but Lydia somehow knows he is looking directly into her fear-soaked soul. Behind him is an aggravated looking Kali, rubbing her left cheek harshly. Her hands are bare, except for five ridiculously long black claws in place of where human fingernails would be.

Next to her are three others: a large, brutal body builder and two handsome twins, Ennis, Ethan, and Aiden.

“Do not worry my dear,” Deucalion says comfortingly, “nobody will ever harm you again. You belong to me now.” As Deucalion speaks his calming words to Lydia, a flash of terrifying red shines through his sunglasses.

Lydia means to cry, scream, do something, but before anybody can blink, a short sliver of metal is thrown through the air and lands directly into the wrist of Deucalion. Deucalion snarls viciously as the throwing knife cuts into the veins and tendons of the very hand that was just holding Lydia’s face.

Everybody turns to the other side of the room quickly, where Stiles Stilinski is juggling one of his combat knives. His eyes are shining their Wiccan savagery as he speaks, “fancy meeting you here… Demon Wolf…”

As Deucalion pulls the throwing knife from his wrist, Lydia sees various black lines begin to crawl up his arm. “Mischief…” Deucalion says venomously, grit between teeth.

“You know,” Stiles says leisurely as he slowly walks forward, “it only took me about a month and a half to find you. You should have really paid more attention to covering your tracks than you did hunting down your prey. The bounty I’m going to collect for your little pack here will cover every expense I’ll ever have for the rest of my life.”

Lydia now watches as all five of the people in front of her begin to growl and snarl, their bodies twisting and turning in every which way as their limbs turn wild and ferocious.

Stiles readies himself with both combat knives in hand and Wiccan magic within his blood. This will be over quickly.

…

Lydia looks out, over the bloodbath that is now the living room floor. She is still knocked prone by the fireplace. Kali is the only one left breathing, if you can even call it breathing. The murderous woman is slipping in and out of consciousness as a myriad of black lines run all over her body.

Stiles enters Lydia’s field of vision with a hard look on his face. “Can you stand?” he asks. Lydia nods, confidant that she can actually get to her feet. As she stables herself, Stiles grabs her arm to help her up. When Lydia is finally standing on her own, Stiles holds something out for her to see, “this was your father’s, right?”

There, in Stiles’ hand, is the King Cobra Target revolver that does in fact belong to Lydia’s dad (did belong). Lydia just nods shortly, being unable to answer. Stiles tucks the gun under his arm as he pulls a glass vial of liquid out of nowhere. He opens the vial and pours the liquid over a single bullet. Once Stiles is done drenching the bullet, he quickly loads it into the revolver and hands the gun over to Lydia, “here, it’s yours now.”

Lydia slowly reaches for the gun as she realizes what Stiles is telling her: the revolver belongs to her now…

“The last kill should go to you,” Stiles says as he motions over to a deathly weak Kali. “It doesn’t mater where you shoot her, the poison will finish her off either way.”

Lydia stares into Stiles honey-amber eyes for awhile before she slowly tuns to look at Kali. As Lydia walks over to the woman, a terrifying instinct begins to bubble in the pit of her stomach. A chilling source of energy makes its way up through Lydia as she raises the gun to point at Kali’s head.

The piercing scream that comes out of Lydia’s mouth overpowers the sound of the revolver as it fires the only bullet left in the cylinder.

Kali’s body goes limp as the bullet leaves a hole in the center of her forehead, execution style.

Lydia’s knees hit the floor as she begins to tremble.

Stiles chuckles as he makes his way to pull Kali’s red leather jacket off her lifeless body, “so that’s why Deucalion was after you.” When Stiles drapes the jacket over Lydia, he speaks to her softly, “you’re a banshee, a harbinger of death.”

Lydia looks up to see Stiles smiling tenderly at her. “Red is your color,” he says as he pulls Kali’s jacket snugly over Lydia’s shoulders. It’s hers now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Throughout this work, I am going to be using a lot of ‘minor characters’ to change the story and/or the circumstances of the world in which Stiles is older and much more traveled.
> 
> P.S. By all means, you are all welcome to point out spelling/grammatical mistakes on ANY of my works. Any help to fix my errors are greatly appreciated!
> 
> Example: Hey Alex, just to let you know, in Paragraph XX, Sentence XX, you said "well" instead of "we'll" (we will).


	5. Having A Wolf... Might... Help...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to let you all know, we are going to have a few 'flashback chapters' thrown in here and there to help you understand the story. Like Lydia had Chapter 4, but Derek and Stiles are going to be the focus of most all the other chapters.

**Claudia Stilinski**

The evening after Stiles made his… _impression_ … on the Hale Pack, everybody had sort of allowed Derek some time to… heal (?). It was all very confusing yet all very understandable at the same time. When you’re born and raised into a pack of wolves, somewhere between the moment of childbirth, and the drawing of your first breath, pups are blessed with an intrinsic understanding of bonds and familial needs. It’s as if newborn pups understand the world with their bodies before they understand it with their minds.

Talia prepared a plate for Derek and presented it to him before she even sat down to eat. She didn’t say anything; all she did was set a plate next to him, place his chin in her hands, and stroke him gently with her thumb for a moment. She was leading by example, because nobody needed to say anything.

Once the food was served and everybody had a moment to recover from the shock, the atmosphere went back to normal. Pack members would go out of their way to stand up and walk all the way around the pool just to grab a drink of water, so that they could subtly place a hand on Derek’s shoulder in passing. Uncle Peter had even come around to ruffle his hair a bit (it was a diversionary tactic so that nobody would notice Peter’s other hand slipping a 50$ bill into Derek’s jeans; Peter had always been a sneaky one).

The Pack were watching over their young… their injured…

If Claudia, Mother Goddess Bless Claudia Stilinski (as the Wiccan emissary would say), had taken a trip to the kitchen to brew Derek his own personal cup of chamomile tea and brought him a plate of almond & raisin cookies along side it, well, nobody acknowledged it.

Derek was quiet for the rest of the evening, mauling over what he had said, thinking about the possible effects his words may have had on Claudia’s son. Thankfully, Scott, Isaac, Erica, and Boyd stayed close by, distracting Derek by talking about absolutely everything and absolutely nothing all at the same time. The four of them had come to understand pack dynamics quickly and were always there for one another. At the end of the night, all five friends huddled into Derek’s queen size bed (how they all fit, nobody knows) and fallen asleep in a puppy pile.

——

“Okay, but like, he was pretty hot…” Erica says casually, laying up against her boyfriend that following morning. All five friends had refused to get up from Derek’s bed. It’s a Saturday, meaning Erica, Boyd, and Isaac don’t have to be at work until later in the morning.

“Erica… you’re literally laying on top of your boyfriend…” Isaac says slowly.

Erica just shrugs before turning her head in Boyd’s direction. “He doesn’t mind. Don’t you babe?”

Everybody turns to look at Boyd cautiously. Boyd shrugs as well, “look, I’m not saying I’m bi or anything… but if he wanted to smash, I’d let him.”

Erica perks up in attention, “WAIT! SERIOUSLY!?” Again, Boyd just shrugs. “No, none of that, I need a serious answer here, would you be down for the three of us getting down, like… for real, for real?”

“Erica, you’re acting like that’s even an option,” Scott rationalizes. “I doubt somebody like Stiles Stilinski would even want to smash you guys.” Erica just turns to Scott with a glare and a flash of her beta yellow eyes. Scott ignores her. “Besides, did you not notice the rest of them? They all look fucking terrifying.”

Derek, who has yet to speak, feels something begin to bubble in his chest (anger?). He wishes everybody would stop talking about having sex with Stiles. Stiles deserves a say in who he fucks… does he not deserve respect?

“Fuck you Scott,” Erica retorts. “You’re just jealous that my man wants a three-way and yours doesn’t.”

At this, Scott, Isaac, and Derek all flush with embarrassment. Isaac begins choking on air that he isn’t even breathing. A tinge of arousal spikes in the air alongside the awkwardness. Erica and Boyd share a baffled look with one another before turning back to their other friends. “HOLD THE FUCK ON! DID YOU THREE...”

“IT WAS ONE TIME!” Derek finally shouts, his emotions getting the better of him.

“Two times,” Isaac corrects.

Derek looks at the blonde in confusion. Scott is the one to speak up, “you’re forgetting about Isaac’s birthday a few months ago when we were camping in the preserve and you got werewolf wasted.”

Erica shoots up from where she is laying on the bed. “ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!? WHERE WERE WE!?” she says, pointing back and forth between herself and her boyfriend.

Derek grabs the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger, closes his eyes, and furrows his brows.

“You two left us at the campsite to go off into the woods and do the nasty on the riverside,” Isaac informs.

“AND YOU DIDN’T THINK TO INVITE US TO YOUR LITTLE SEX PARTY!?” By now, Erica is flailing around the room. Thank God Derek’s room is soundproof… Even still, the Pack is used to Erica screaming and shouting for no reason. They’ve all learned to ignore her.

“Erica… you’re a woman… Boyd is the only one here who would have any interest in you…” Isaac says slowly, as if that should be explanation enough.

Erica looks taken back. “Scott’s bi,” she says.

“Pansexual,” Scott states calmly.

“Whatever,” Erica dismisses. “Who says we wouldn’t have wanted to watch?”

Boyd raises his hand, “I probably wouldn’t have wanted to watch.”

“Babe,” Erica says sternly, “shut up!”

“Erica,” Derek finally interjects, “shouldn’t you guys be getting ready for work?”

The shewolf in question then looks over to Derek’s bedside clock. “Fine,” she says, “but you two are coming with us today. We aren’t done with this conversation.”

“Miss. Burnberry never came to pick up her snake from the clinic yesterday. Derek and I are going to go check on him,” Scott says from his place on the bed.

“The clinic is closed for the weekend and you two have all day to go check on your little snake. You’re coming to the shop,” Erica demands while she searches Derek’s closet for her emergency overnight bag.

All four men left on the bed release one great big Pack sigh.

——

Erica, Isaac, and Boyd all work at Claudia’s flower shop, Beacon Blossoms, on the outskirts of the city. Technically, the shop is still in the city limits, but it’s right on the borderline, up against the preserve. The strategic placement is purposeful. Claudia is provided free reign to plant a variety of flowers and herbs in the shop’s personal spaces, as well as the surrounding woods. It’s location also allows pack members and other traveling supernaturals to speak to the local emissary in a safe place away from prying eyes.

Erica typically manages the front of the shop (organizing display cases and taking care of customers) while Claudia designs all the arrangements and Isaac fills orders. Boyd is responsible for Claudia’s delivery service since he has the truck.

Initially, Erica wasn’t in favor of Boyd working alone, driving around the city, so Claudia warded his truck for good measure. Boyd says he enjoys the time alone; it gives him some peace of mind. Erica still calls him if he’s been gone for too long though, just to be safe.

Although Derek and Scott both spend a lot of time at the shop, they don’t actually work there. Scott’s mom, Melissa, is a veterinarian; she owns a small animal clinic further into the city. That’s where the two work as Dr. McCall’s receptionists/assistants. Dr. McCall may not be a fully fledged member of the Pack, but she is remarkably close friends with Claudia and Talia both. She’s just a busy woman; Mr. McCall, apparently, is an FBI agent and isn’t around much. We don’t talk about him.

As the five of them all make way to Boyd’s truck and drive off to the shop, Erica, Boyd, and Isaac all sit in the front (Erica is still asking Isaac all about three-way sexy times) while Scott and Derek decide to ride in the back of the truck. They’re just trying to escape the interrogation honestly.

Thankfully, the drive to the shop isn’t long, 15, 20 minutes. Derek uses the time to listen to the sounds of the preserve beyond the purring of the engine. It’s peaceful. Something in the air feels different, but, it’s a good different, beautiful even. It’s just strange; Derek can’t quite place his finger on it.

Closer to their destination, Derek feels Scott nudge his foot from across the back of the truck. Derek looks up to see a worried look on his best friend’s face. “You okay?” he asks.

Derek lets out a long breath, “yeah, I think so.” Up until recently, Scott has been one of the only people to know about Derek’s _minor_ lack of control. Don’t get him wrong, Derek has good control, great even. He never has problems with his shift, like… ever. Every good once in a while however, very occasionally, Derek’s wolf pushes him into something that doesn’t make sense. For example, bringing up Stiles’ dad in the middle of a very intense moment, jeopardizing a possible alliance…

Derek’s mind drifts towards words of wisdom Claudia once told him, his emissary, and the guide to his humanity.

_It’s okay Derek. It’s just your inner instinct; your wolf knows things that your consciousness doesn’t understand. Have faith that you will find your balance. Keep your anchor close to your heart. Stay strong in your resolve._

Derek continues to repeat the words of his anchor as often as he remembers. “Alpha. Beta. Omega.” He whispers into the wind.

Just then, Scott begins to speak up, but is cut off quickly, “listen, I know yo—”

Derek notices that Scott is looking at something in front of the moving truck, and even Erica has stopped shouting from inside the vehicle. As Derek turns to look at whatever has caught everybody’s attention, an icy chill makes its way down his spine and into his core.

There, in the small parking lot of Beacon Blossoms, are two vehicles that are not supposed to be there. One recognizable, Claudia’s blue Jeep, and the other, a terrifying black Jeep Wrangler.

As Boyd pulls into the parking lot slowly, Scott is the one to speak, “I thought Claudia doesn’t work on the weekends. That’s why you guys have shorter hours on Saturday and Sunday.” He says it as a statement as well as a question, loud enough for everybody to hear over the sound of the engine dying.

“She doesn’t,” Isaac says slowly. “Unless somebody called in a few last minute orders… or…” his last few words begin to trail off.

“She has visitors,” Boyd finishes for him.

Everyone sits eerily still as the sound of two heartbeats slowly come into range.

“The Geranium and Mugwort charms are done. Where did you put my St. John’s Wort?” Derek’s body goes numb at the voice he is hearing. It can’t be.

“Young man, not once have I ever known of any fey folk strolling through Beacon Hills,” Claudia says in an amusing tone. Derek feels like he is intruding on a personal moment between mother and son. He wants to leave, knows he should… but he is taking slow steps away from the truck and to the front door without even realizing it… his wolf howls within him.

“None that you know of,” Stiles says matter-of-factly. Suddenly, Derek is startled by a continuous banging coming from inside. It sounds like a hammer.

Again, not realizing what he’s doing, Derek opens the front door. The windchime above his head sings his arrival as he passes through the threshold.

Stiles stops nailing his charms to the wall long enough to look over his shoulder and see Derek looking right back at him. Stiles scoffs before continuing his work on Claudia’s shop. Derek, on the other hand, is staring, HARD, at Stiles’ back. The man’s leather jacket is off and sweat is beginning to seep through the collar of his skin-tight, white t-shirt. Stiles has an amazing back, but that isn’t what has Derek frozen in his tracks. On the upper half of Stiles’ back, right below the neckline of his t-shirt and in between his shoulder blades, Derek can see right through the sweat-soaked fabric… where the thick black lines of a tattoo rests on Stiles’ skin.

_Impossible_

Derek’s eyes must be playing tricks on him… because the very small, half inch of Stiles’ tattoo that is visible through the t-shirt looks a lot like the tip of a triskelion. The symbol of the Hale Pack…

As Derek’s friends all scurry into the shop, Stiles finishes nailing his charm on the wall and steps off the small stool that Derek hadn’t even noticed. He quickly grabs his jacket off a nearby counter and slips it on while speaking to his mother, “remind me to draw a mountain ash barrier when I come back.”

“Mieczyslaw Stilinski!” Claudia shouts, hands raised to her hips (was she there the entire time?). “You are no longer standing on Hale property. Do not forget that this is my sanctuary, and I will not tolerate you disrespecting my employees or my guests.”

Derek has never seen Claudia shout before…

Stiles glares at his mother, flashing his Wiccan eyes at her.

Claudia flashes her eyes right back at him.

Suddenly, Derek registers the aroma. They can smell Stiles now (and hear him apparently)! Claudia’s shop always has a variety of scents floating about; it took a long time for the wolves’ senses to become accustomed to the environment. When Claudia uses her Wiccan magic however, the smell of rainwater overpowers everything else. It’s a scent that Derek has grown to love, look forward to even. It’s the magic that brings life and vitality to the shop. Derek can even smell Claudia’s magic deep in the preserve when he concentrates hard enough. He knows to expect it when Claudia is healing the injured as well.

The townsfolk who buy from her call it her ‘green thumb,’ but Derek knows better.

This however, what Derek is smelling now, this is something different, something _evolved_. Derek has never smelled another Wiccan’s magic before. He has only ever known of Claudia’s. This, whatever is in the air now, is fucking dangerous.

Laying on top of Claudia’s rainwater, is something that can only be described as electrifying. It smells like lightning. The hairs on the back of Derek’s neck raise to attention as electricity now courses throughout Claudia’s rainwater. Derek can’t see it, but he can feel it: short spurts of static energy ebb and flow in and out of Claudia’s magic. It’s as poetic as it is ambient.

Derek’s wolf begins to purr within him.

And just like that, it’s gone. The rainwater remains as Stiles submits to his mother, his eyes returning to their honey-amber. Out of the corners of Derek’s eyes, he can see all of his friends shaking in fear, even Boyd can’t stop the subtle shake that has overcome his right hand. The only one who stands peacefully, is Derek.

Derek should be afraid, like, VERY afraid, but for some reason, the only thing he feels is a sense of completeness. Like, he belongs there, in the middle of the lightning storm…

_What the fuck is happening?_

“Now apologize,” Claudia says to her son.

Stiles squints his eyes before turning to the others. “Thank you,” Stiles says, voice empty and professional, “I’m sure Alpha Hale has neglected to tell you three, but the only reason you actually work here is to protect Claudia and her sanctuary. For that…” Stiles hesitates, “you have my gratitude.” For what it’s worth, Stiles’ heart is even and steady; his words are truthful. Everybody notices that Stiles doesn’t actually apologize for his disrespect, but Claudia guesses that this is the best she’s going to get from her son. Derek also notices that as Stiles speaks, he makes eye contact with everybody except him… “Peace and blessings to you all.”

Did he mean to include Derek just now as well? Wait… he said ‘you three.’ Stiles already knew that Erica, Boyd, and Isaac work at the shop (?). Did he know they would show up while he was here? Did he know that Derek and Scott would be with them? No, he couldn’t have known that; Derek and Scott weren’t even going to come in the first place… right (?).

_What the fuck is happening?_

As if by miracle, everybody hears another engine pulling into the parking lot. This one is different; it’s a smaller engine and nobody hears a car door open and close before footfalls approach the shop. All heads turn to the front as Lydia walks in the front door in a controlled strut wearing her red leather jacket and fiery ponytail. She, makes direct eye contact with Derek, completely ignoring the others as she heads towards Stiles. “We found movement in the Talbot territory. Danny is preparing our route as we speak. We need to leave soon.” Stiles simply nods his head before grabbing a black duffle bag that is laying on the floor. “Emissary Stilinski,” Lydia greets with a nod of her own.

“It’s good to see you dear,” Claudia says calmly. “Take care of him for me, okay?”

“Of course, ma’am,” Lydia answers.

Once Stiles has gathered his things, he gives his mother a quick hug. “Be safe,” Claudia whispers into his ear. Stiles simply nods and walks away. Lydia follows close behind.

Surprising to all, as Lydia passes by Derek, she runs a carefully manicured hand down the side of his neck… SCENT MARKING HIM!

Derek stares at his left shoulder, taking in the scent. It smells like dried strawberry leaves and decaying walnut branches… but underneath it all, there is the faint scent of cinnamon, maple, and beechwood. _Stiles… Lydia just gave Derek… Stiles’ scent._

A tinge of electricity can be felt in the air as the front door to the shop swings open. “STILES WAIT!” Derek shouts! There he goes again, trying to get himself killed…

Stiles freezes, holding the door open, looking outside, back turned to Derek once more. “If you need help, I could go with you!” Everybody turns to look at Derek in shock. What the hell is up with Derek and saying shit that’s going to get him killed!? “I’m not saying you need help or anything… but… I know the land pretty well… and having a wolf around who can track… and stuff… might… I don’t know… help…” As Derek stumbles through his words, his voice becomes smaller and smaller.

Lydia turns to look at Derek, grinning proudly. She flips her hair and walks out the door before Stiles can kill her…

Stiles stands at the door for a moment, silently, before walking away as well.

Derek’s head falls in shame as everybody tries to understand what just happened.

——

“So…” Scott says softly while feeding Miss. Burnberry’s snake at the clinic, “do you want to talk about it?”

Derek breathes into his hands heavily. _Yes_.

Yes, Derek does want to talk about it, but he has no fucking idea where to start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having a really fun time writing Scott, Isaac, Erica, and Boyd...
> 
> P.S. By all means, you are all welcome to point out spelling/grammatical mistakes on ANY of my works. Any help to fix my errors are greatly appreciated!
> 
> Example: Hey Alex, just to let you know, in Paragraph XX, Sentence XX, you said "well" instead of "we'll" (we will).


	6. My Analysis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Clarification: in the TV show canon, after Kate burned the Hale house down, she went after the Talbot Pack next. Brett and his sister Lorilee survived their own house fire and were taken in by Satomi. In this story, the Talbot Pack are 'currently' being hunted down. Satomi has her own Pack North of the Hales. The Talbot territory, as explained in this chapter, is it's own land and has it's own Pack. Please enjoy!!!

**The Talbot Territory**

The Talbot territory is roughly an hour East of the Hale territory. The Talbot Pack has held their territory for several decades, not nearly as long as the Hales, but long enough to establish their name. The territory covers the land of Moreno Valley and the Box Springs Mountain Reserves.

It didn't take Danny long to gather a detailed collection of maps or even obtain access to the city's traffic cameras. Danny is still back at the loft, with Jackson staying behind as his 'protection.' Although Danny is more than capable of taking to the field, his skill behind a keyboard still outweighs his kill count.

Stiles and Lydia are currently parked at the top of one of the mountains in the Reserves. The black Wrangler and red Harley-Davidson sit ominously at one of the many sight-seeing rest stops along the path.

Stiles stalks over to one of the cheap telescopes that peers over the mountain range. "What's your analysis?" he asks calmly.

Lydia stands up from where she is squatted down near a visual disturbance on the ground; stone and dirt have been shifted around as if there was a struggle. Lydia walks over to Stiles with her arms crossed and her eyes closed, humming softly.

"The son is important to you," Lydia says matter-of-factly. Stiles stiffens slightly from where he is looking outwards. "For the longest time, I thought you were just a lone witch; but after seeing your mom, I realized that she must be the leader of your coven. A Wiccan coven to be exact. It may just be the two of you, but it's still enough."

"Being the leader of your coven, your mother is more powerful than you are..." Stiles doesn't move from his place on the ledge of the rest stop. "Which raised a few questions. First, why do you portray such a rebellious stance when speaking for her safety? Not only is her underlying power greater than yours, even though the texture of her magic is softer, but she also has a small army of werewolves ready to lay down their lives for her. You may not like them, but the Hale Pack is legendary, and Talia is one of the only Alpha werewolves who is capable of a full shift. Claudia doesn't need your protection."

"Your father died because he fell in love with somebody who is at the top of the food chain, and chose to devote his life to her cause. He was human, and he died an honorable man." Stiles closes his eyes at the mention of his father, unable to look at the sight of bountiful life within the mountains. "Which brought me to my second question, why do you pretend like Talia's son doesn't exist?”

"I read the police report that covered your father's last moments. He was shot by an unknown poacher in the woods. The word 'poacher' on the report was clearly code for hunter. Which was probably an Argent hunter, since they lived in Beacon Hills at the time. The report also said that Derek Hale was with him when the other Deputies arrived, crying over him. He was so wrecked that he wouldn't let anybody get close; It wasn't until Claudia got there that he finally calmed down."

"The Hale estate wasn't far from where your father was found. Additionally, it was a full moon that night. I'm willing to guess that Derek was out on the full moon, made a wrong turn in the preserve somewhere, and ran into the Argents. Your father, knowing who and what Derek is, protected him. He died for him. He gave his life for Derek's safety."

When Stiles opens his eyes, his face is hard but his eyes are watering; he's still looking over the landscape; it's a good thing Lydia has no idea how true her assumptions actually are. "That, brought me to my latest question," Lydia continues, "What's the real reason why you hired a supernatural specialist to work in Beacon Hills? I always thought you hired a specialist for your mother's safety, but that was before I saw the Hale pack and felt your mother's magic in the preserve."

Stiles rubs his face thoroughly in agitation. 'Fucking Lydia...' he thinks to himself.

"My analysis," Lydia finally says, "is that you hired a specialist to watch over Derek, not Claudia, because he's important to you; you're honoring your father's last will. You want to keep him safe." Stiles lets out a long, aggravated breath upon hearing Lydia's proclamation. "That's why you concealed all of our sounds and scents when we met with the Pack; it wasn't to be intimidating, it was to keep them from hearing the half lies in your heart when you spoke of mother's safety, and to keep them from smelling the truth in your emotions.”

“You’re using years of resentment and mistrust for the Hale Pack as a disguise to cover up how much he means to you. The lingering question I haven’t been able to answer, is why you’ve taken such extremes measures to keep him safe instead of protecting him yourself.” The two stay put, both looking out to the Talbot territory for a long time before Lydia continues, "do you want to know what gave you away?"

Finally, Stiles turns to glare at Lydia... angrily. Admittedly, he is curious to hear what she'll say. Lydia turns to look at Stiles as well. "Your eyes," she whispers softly. "You can be as mean, and angry, and bitter as you want. You can hate the fact that your dad died in Derek's arms, but no matter how hard and cold you act, you can't change the look in your eyes."

Stiles and Lydia stare at one another for a long time. Stiles doesn't know when his eyes started glowing, but it doesn't really matter. He could never hide from Lydia Martin. "That's why you haven’t let him see it yet."

Another tear falls down Stiles' face as he tries to compose himself. The two are still staring at one another. "The moment he looks into your eyes... he'll know... he'll know how much you care."

This... this right here, is why Lydia Martin is considered the most dangerous member of the company. Nothing in this world can hide from her perception... not even death.

Not much time goes by before Lydia can feel the familiar feeling of static electricity in the air. Her hair begins to frizz and her skin begins to rise.

That's enough for now. As dangerous as Lydia may be, she knows better than to push Stiles past his limits.

Lydia slowly makes her way over to her motorcycle. She slides her helmet on with ease and drives off before Siles has time to tame his magic.

When Stiles finally stabilizes, he looks back out to see the mountain ranges of the Box Springs Reserves. There are lightning clouds gathering in the sky. He grabs hold of his Wiccan amulet, allowing it to restrain him.

He takes a few minutes to breathe before he steps back into the Wrangler and heads back to the loft.

——

“So,” Jackson says while looking over a map of the Talbot territory, popping his knuckles “what do we got?” All four members of the company are standing at the large dinning table of the loft. The table, however, has been turned into a strategy table. Danny has laid out numerous maps and pages of information about the land.

“There was no death at the site of the struggle. Not even an ounce of blood,’ Lydia states calmly. Stiles simply nods along to her words.

“That’s uncommon. Hunter’s aren’t normally ones for finesse,” Danny answers in a confused tone, "they kill first, and clean up later. If they take their time on the kill, then their enemy has time to react." Jackson just rolls his eyes.

Lydia takes a moment to ponder over all the information they have. “Unless their goal isn’t the immediate kill,” she finally says. “Members of the Talbot pack have been disappearing for how long now, four weeks? And the only evidence we have to go off of are a few locations outside the city where we’ve found faint traces of wolfsbane and a few tire tracks. These hunters aren’t killing the werewolves when they find them, they’re abducting them.”

“Do you think they’re still alive?” Jackson asks. Jackson would love to be able to bum rush a center location and take a group of hunters by surprise. It’s wishful thinking; Jackson likes to make a mess…

“No,” Lydia says in a disappointed tone, “I can feel the death lingering in the air. It just isn’t what I’m used to.” Lydia shakes her head, hair flipping left and right. “They’re dying, just not violently, abruptly. They’re dying slowly. I don’t hear screams and gunshots this time around. It’s more like slicing and moaning, slurred moaning. I think they’re being tortured somewhere.” Stiles has a hard look on his face while Danny looks like he may be sick. Jackson… looks intrigued. “It’s easy to find them when I have louder sounds to listen for, short and sweet. When they’re long and drawn out, the sound starts to ricochet before I can lock in to one place.”

Danny is the one to speak next, “if there were any cameras outside the city, I could at least determine what direction the vehicles turn to when they reach the roads, but the security system in the surrounding area is shit… and if we try to set up cameras or microphones in the mountains, I have a feeling these hunters would catch on to us sooner than I would be able to gather enough information.”

“Is there anything we can do to help?” Stiles finally asks, looking towards Lydia.

Lydia just shakes her head again, “there isn’t anything _you_ can do to help…”

The other three people at the table all look at Lydia curiously…

“If we had somebody who was better at tracking… like, a werewolf perhaps… we may be able to narrow down a few locations…” Lydia says slowly. Stiles just gives her an angry look. “Face it Stiles, without any of the Talbot Pack’s possessions, you can’t scry for them, AND, they aren’t leaving any blood behind at the scene for you to use either. What they are leaving behind, are the scents of wolfsbane and fear.”

“From my understanding, Talia’s husband and left hand have already tried tracking them down,” Jackson pipes in, “they didn’t find shit.”

For once Stiles is grateful for Jackson’s attitude. “They didn’t have a Banshee with them who could follow the sounds of death. Also, their witch, who would have been able to empower their senses, isn’t allowed to venture onto the battlefield,” Lydia retorts quickly.

Stiles closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose while breathing deeply. “Look,” Lydia says, “if you don’t want to include the Hale Pack, that’s fine; we can do this without them. All I’m saying is that we could find them _quicker_ if we had at least _one_ wolf on our side. Every second we spend chasing these bastards is another second we risk being found out. If these hunters are half as careful as we think they are, they will pack up and leave the instant they think the great and powerful ‘Mischief’ is on their tail.” Lydia waves her arm to and fro in an animated gesture to emphasize her point. She’s really pushing this button all the way home.

“Alright Lydia,” Stiles finally says in a stern voice, “I will _consider_ our options going forward.”

Lydia puffs her chest up in victory and gives Stiles a hard grin before turning around and heading back to the master bedroom.

Everybody else disperses as well, understanding that the briefing is over.

——

Stiles sends out another text while sitting on his bed upstairs.

 **Mischief** : Report

 **H** : Condition is stable; target is worried, but otherwise steady. Location is secure. Target is safe.

Stiles releases a calming breath. He knows the target is stable… but it’s nice to hear it. He scrolls through his phone, looking for another contact.

 **Mischief** : Send me all the information we have on Alpha Talbot and his Pack. Prepare the others to meet with them if it becomes necessary. Meeting with them may be more of a warning to the hunters than meeting with the Hales again, but they know their own land better than anyone else.

 **The Keeper** : You got it boss!

Yes, Danny is right downstairs, but so is Lydia Fucking Martin… and Stiles really isn't in the mood to listen to her anymore today.

As always, Stiles falls asleep holding his amulet tight to his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, yes, Lydia is a bitch, but if your best friend knew that you were a cold-hearted asshole, wouldn't you want her to encourage you to find your true happiness!? 
> 
> Also, who do you think this ‘specialist’ is protecting!? Do you still think it’s Claudia? Is it Derek? Fuck, it might be Greenberg, YOU DON’T KNOW!!!
> 
> Actually, PLOT TWIST, the specialist is protecting Glen Coco! YOU GO GLEN COCO! GET THAT MISCHIEF BUSSY!!!
> 
> Leave your thoughts in the comments...


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